GovCon Opportunity Triage Kit: bid or no-bid on a federal opportunity, gates first, scores with evidence
by PaperChaseWebb
Every bid you chase spends hours you could put into one you can win. This kit gives you one repeatable call on every sources sought, RFQ or RFP: eight eligibility gates first (any No stops the bid), then six weighted criteria scored 0 to 5 with the evidence written beside each score, a pursuit cost worksheet with expected value, and four decision bands with overrides. Every rule points to its FAR, 13 CFR or SAM.gov source.
- Price
- $39
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Setup
- 15 min
- Format
- .md file
govcon-opportunity-triage-kit-bid-or-no-bid-gates-first-scores-with-evidence.md · 19 KB · instant download after checkout
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What you end up with
A written Bid, Bid with conditions, Reshape or No-bid decision for each opportunity, with the gate marks, the scores, the evidence and the cost behind it, signed by you.
What you get
- The five-step triage flow: gate check, evaluation factors, scoring, pursuit cost, decision and record
- Eight gates, G1 to G8: SAM active, size under the assigned NAICS (5-year receipts or 24-month employee average), set-aside match, no exclusion, limitations on subcontracting, teaming, responsibility and procurement integrity
- A rubric with six weighted criteria (scope fit x5, evidence of capability x4, competitive position, evaluation-factor fit and capacity x3, strategic value x2) and anchored 0 to 5 scores
- A one-page opportunity scoresheet with evidence notes and questions for the contracting officer
- A pursuit cost worksheet: cost to pursue, value, an honest win probability and expected return
- Four decision bands on a 100-point scale with four overrides (gate stop, negative expected value, one-way door, teaming re-check) and a decision log
- Five AI prompts: extract the essentials, gate pre-check, score with evidence, red-team the decision, submission QA
- A fully fictional worked example scored end to end (65 of 100, Bid with conditions)
- SOURCES.md with 16 FAR, 13 CFR and SAM.gov links, plus agent rules for Grok Bot, Claude Code, Codex and Hermes with an owner sign-off step
Who it is for
Small federal contractors who want every bid decision made the same way, gates before scores, with evidence and a written record, including the no-bids.
Works with
Solid chips: the agent is named in this listing's own tools list. Dashed chip: Plain Markdown, so it also pastes into other agents such as Grok Bot, Hermes, OpenClaw or Muse. We list those as compatible by format only, not as tested.
Tools needed
Cost to run: The kit is the only purchase. SAM.gov registration is free; the kit never logs in anywhere.
Time to result: About an hour for a first opportunity; the gate check alone takes about 10 minutes
How it works
Read the flow
Open the pack and read 01-how-to-use.md and the worked example in 07.
Expected: You know the five steps and see one opportunity scored end to end.
Run the gates
Answer G1 to G8 for your next opportunity as Yes, No or Unknown, with the fact behind each.
Expected: Any No is a no-bid; every Unknown is listed to resolve before scoring.
Score and price
Score C1 to C6 with the evidence beside each score, then fill in the pursuit cost worksheet.
Expected: A total out of 100 and an expected value for the pursuit.
Decide and sign
Apply the bands and overrides in 05, write the decision record and sign it. Optional: paste the rules block into your agent and let it draft the gate marks first.
Expected: A signed decision on file, including the no-bids.
Sample prompts, free to use
Read this solicitation text: [PASTE]. Return the notice ID, agency, set-aside type, assigned NAICS, response deadline, place of performance, evaluation factors in order of importance, and any clause numbers listed. Quote the solicitation for each item. If an item isn't stated, write "Not stated." Don't guess.
Prompt 1 of 5.
Here is my draft decision and scores: [PASTE]. Argue the strongest case for the opposite decision. Then list the two facts that, if they turned out false, would change the outcome.
Prompt 4 of 5.
Free preview of the file
# GovCon Opportunity Triage Kit **Bid / no-bid scoring for small federal contractors** *By PaperChaseWebb Inc. · Version 1.0 · 2026-11-01* --- ## Contents 1. README.md 2. 01-how-to-use.md 3. 02-scoring-rubric.md 4. 03-opportunity-scoresheet.md 5. 04-pursuit-cost-worksheet.md 6. 05-decision-bands-and-record.md 7. 06-ai-prompts.md 8. 07-worked-example.md 9. SOURCES.md 10. Appendix: run it with your agent --- <!-- file: README.md --> # GovCon Opportunity Triage Kit **Bid / no-bid scoring for small federal contractors** *By PaperChaseWebb Inc.* Most small contractors lose because they chase the wrong bids, not because they write weak proposals. This kit gives you one repeatable way to decide, in under an hour, whether an opportunity deserves your capture time. ## What's inside 1. **01-how-to-use.md**: the 5-step triage flow 2. **02-scoring-rubric.md**: 6 weighted criteria, each with anchored scores from 0 to 5 3. **03-opportunity-scoresheet.md**: a fill-in sheet for one opportunity 4. **04-pursuit-cost-worksheet.md**: what the bid will cost you against what it's worth 5. **05-decision-bands-and-record.md**: Bid / Bid with conditions / Reshape / No-bid, plus a decision log 6. **06-ai-prompts.md**: optional prompts for running the triage with any AI assistant 7. **07-worked-example.md**: a fully fictional, scored example 8. **SOURCES.md**: FAR, SBA, and SAM.gov citations, verified live ## Who it's for - Small businesses new to federal contracting - SDVOSB, VOSB, WOSB, HUBZon
Test record
- Date
- Nov 1, 2026
- What was run
- Packaged from the .dev-PASSed files by tools/pack_govcon_kits_2026-11-01.py; every source link fetched; banned-copy scan on the pack and page text. .dev rechecked the citations live and recomputed the worked example.
- Result
- 16 of 16 source links returned 200 on 2026-11-01; .dev PASS 2026-11-01; worked example total 65 (Bid with conditions) matches the bands; 0 em dashes and no banned words.
- Not run
- A live agent session with the rules block. Legal review. Any real solicitation.
Copied from this item's dated test notes. What was not run stays in.
Worth knowing
- Not legal advice. Rules and thresholds change; check the live FAR, eCFR and the solicitation itself, and ask the contracting officer or your APEX Accelerator when unsure.
- The kit helps you decide whether to pursue. It does not certify your size or status; only you can, in SAM.gov and in your offer.
- Paste only material you are allowed to share into an AI assistant. Never controlled, classified, proprietary or source-selection information.
- The agent rules were written for Grok Bot, Claude Code, Codex and Hermes but not loaded inside a live session of each for this release.
- The worked example and every company in it are fictional.
- .dev pre-launch check PASS on 2026-11-01: citations spot-checked live on eCFR (titles current to 2026-10-29) and acquisition.gov FAR; the worked example recomputes to 65 (15+12+9+9+12+8). On 2026-11-01 all 16 source links returned HTTP 200.
Questions
How is this different from the Veteran GovCon AI Kit?
The Veteran GovCon AI Kit helps you build your capability statement, SAM.gov profile and past performance with an agent. This kit is for each opportunity after that: should you bid this one, and why.
Does it tell me if I'm small?
It tells you exactly what to check: the NAICS code assigned in the solicitation, its size standard in 13 CFR 121.201, and the 5-year receipts or 24-month employee average. You do the check against your own numbers.
Can my agent make the call?
No. The rules block lets an agent draft gate marks and evidence, marks anything it cannot confirm as Unknown, and ends every run with the decisions it needs from you. The record counts only once you sign it.
Does it pair with the Gate Checklist?
Yes. Both use the same gate IDs, G1 to G8. Step 1 here is the quick version; the Eligibility and Compliance Gate Checklist covers each gate in full.
Can you run triage for us?
Yes. PaperChaseWebb Inc. sets up the triage flow with your team or runs it on your pipeline each month. Book a call or write to [email protected].
Details
Version 1.0 · Updated Nov 1, 2026 · Markdown version of this page
License: Use inside your own company, including when you advise clients. Do not resell or republish the kit itself. Download terms
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